Underworld

Underworld is the local textiles factory in 14 Coronation Street that was owned by Aidan Connor until his sudden death. The factory produces lingerie for women.

In 1998, Mike Baldwin bought the premises, named it Underworld, and went into partnership with Angie Freeman to manufacture lingerie. The new factory caught fire in 2004 when Janice Battersby caused a fire by dropping a lit cigarette onto a pile of clothes in the stockroom. Nick Tilsley saved Janice, but they both lost their jobs. After Mike died in April 2006, his son, Danny ran the factory until September when Adam Barlow sold up to Paul and Liam Connor. Carla inherited Paul's half of the factory when he was killed in June of the following year. Liam took on Paul's widow Carla and newcomer Tony Gordon. When Liam was murdered by Tony (for having an affair with Tony's fiancée Carla), Tony took over. Underworld was destroyed by a fire started by Tony on 9th June 2010 but eventually re-opened. Carla accepted a business contract from Frank Foster who signed a contract to give him 40% ownership. However, Frank was murdered just a few hours after signing the deal but because the paperwork was still in his possession, the contract was not legally binding. Carla then became co-proprietor alongside Peter Barlow, after briefly being in partnership with her brother, Rob Donovan.

With Peter signing his 50% share of the business back over to his wife in July 2014, Carla was once again the sole owner until a gambling addiction got her into financial difficulty. Originally intent on selling up, Nick Tilsley was able to contact and summon Aidan Connor, who in August 2015 offered to invest £100,000 in return for a 40% share. Aidan's dad Johnny arrived and claimed that the £100,000 in fact belonged to him. He agreed to invest on the condition that he became a company director - Johnny settled with 22% of the shares while Aidan kept 18%. In May 2016, Carla departed Weatherfield but remained a silent partner in the business.

In January 2017, Johnny revealed that he was planning to retire and planned to hand the factory over to Aidan. However, he later discovered that Adam and Peter Barlow were planning to sue the Connors for conning Adam out of his share of the factory when he was eighteen years old. The factory lost all it's business and everything inside it, including the roof, after Eva Price and Adam Barlow got revenge for Aidan's affair with Maria Connor. Aidan and Alya Nazir subsequently tried to reopen the factory, however Johnny planned to sell his 22% share to someone else so Aidan enlisted Carla's assistance and she bought Johnny's shares.

In 2018, Carla was suffering from kidney failure and Aidan donated one of his to her - saving her life. To show her gratitude, Carla decided to gift her shares of the factory to him for his birthday. Unfortunately, less than a month later Aidan tragically committed suicide. Before his death Aidan had written up a will which left his shares of the factory to Alya Nazir, Aidan intended for Alya only to receive his 18% share but due to Carla giving him her entire share Alya was entitled to everything.

The curse of Underworld
Underworld is notorious for strings of bad luck and death in recent years, including people associated with it. Mike Baldwin died after a battle with Alzheimer's in 2006 in the arms of rival Ken Barlow on the factory steps. In 2007, polish worker Kasia Barowicz died from falling down the stairs. Later in the year, factory boss Paul Connor died in a car crash. A year later, his brother Liam was murdered by new factory owner Tony Gordon, who was engaged to Paul's widow Carla. Tony also attempted to kill pensioner Jed Stone over the Christmas period of 2008, but had spared him and installed Jed in a flat in Wigan. Tony perished in 2010 when he burned down the factory with Carla in it, although she escaped. A month after the incident, John Stape buried his old work colleague Colin Fishwick under the factory floor after stealing his identity; the body was recovered a year later. Carla's next business partner Frank Foster raped her, but was mysteriously found dead in the premises in March 2012 after conning the factory out of her. In June 2014, Carla's brother and business partner, Rob Donovan, murdered local barmaid Tina McIntyre and was sent to prison for his crimes. In May 2018, less than a month after acquiring Carla's 82% of the business as a gift, Aidan Connor committed suicide. This left Underworld with no incumbent owner.

Owners
The owners of the factory over the years have been:

Staff

 * See: List of Underworld staff